The Fight Against Book Bans: A Conversation with Sabrina from PEN America | RAAG on ROMANCE

In this episode of Romance at a Glance, hosts Bridget and Shani tackle the alarming issue of book bans alongside guest Sabrina Baêta, Senior Program Manager of Freedom to Read at PEN America. The episode delves into the growing incidence of book bans in K-12 public schools, with a particular focus on romance novels and LGBTQIA+ literature. The hosts discuss the motivations behind these bans, which often target minority communities and aim to censor literature that addresses sexual experiences, violence, and abuse. Sabrina shares alarming statistics about the books being banned and the increasing trend of 'sideways censorship.' The conversation also highlights the role of Penn America in combating these bans and emphasizes the importance of community action to support librarians and educators. The episode concludes with practical advice for listeners on how to get involved and make a difference in their local communities against the backdrop of this critical issue.About the growing book bans across AmericaBans Sweep Across Reading Levels and Genres, Targeting Titles about People of Color, Race, Racism, and LGBTQ+ Subjects at High Rates.Analysis Shows Stories about Disabled People, Immigrants, Social Activism and Bullying Are Targets and Debunks Exaggerated Claims about Explicit Sex in Books. (NEW YORK)-- The removal of books focused on people of color, race and racism, and LGBTQ+ subjects from public schools continues as part of a concerted and dangerous campaign nationwide, according to new analysis of thousands of banned titles by PEN America. These topics are highly targeted among banned books across genres and reading levels—fiction, history, biography, memoir, even picture books. Of the 4,218 unique banned titles in the 2023-2024 school year, 1,534 or 36% featured fictional characters or real people of color. In analyzing banned history and biography titles alone, PEN America found 44% featured people of color, with 26% of banned historical and biographical titles specifically featuring Black people. The comprehensive analysis is based on PEN America’s documentation of the more than 10,000 instances of book bans nationwide, as school districts banned many of the same titles. The movement to ban books originated in a coordinated network of groups that also largely espouses white supremacist and Christian nationalist ideology. The targeting of banned titles featuring people of color is happening at the same time as the population of students of color has reached an all time high—now more than half of all American schoolchildren. This is especially concerning as equity and diversity initiatives seeking to achieve more equal representation in schools are under attack by government at all levels. Coupled with the banning of books about communities of color is the removal of titles about the LGBTQ+ community. During the 2023-2024 school year, 29% of all banned titles included LGBTQ+ characters, people, or themes. Of the banned titles with LGBTQ+ characters or people, 28% specifically featured trans and/or genderqueer characters. Also, more than half of the banned books with LGBTQ+ people or...